Still at the Albertina museum, the second floor of the building is taken up with the current display - Monet Bis (To) Picasso - a selection from the Herbert and Rita Batliner Collection whose whole collection is on permanent loan to the Albertina. They have amassed a fantastic selection of choice pieces of 20th-century art which includes Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, a horde of Giacometti's, as well as Expressionist and Russian avante-garde works. These were some of my favourites.
Claude Monet - The Waterlily Pond, 1917-19
Claude Monet - House Among The Roses, 1925
Edgar Degas - Two Dancers, 1905
Henri Matisse - The Striped Dress, 1938
Kees van Dongen - Woman With Blue Eyes, 1908
Nude Under Trees - 1905
Hadn't heard of either of these artists before (Henri Manguin above, and Herbert Boeckl below), but I really admire their use of line and colour.
Portrait of M.B. - 1919
The close pairing of Picasso and Bacon was inspired. The Bacon is particularly stunning when seen up close. The picture doesn't do justice to the brushstrokes and surface textures.
Picasso - Nude Woman with Bird and Flute Player, 1967
Francis Bacon - Seated Figure, 1960
Picasso - Woman With A Green Hat, 1947
Woman In An Armchair 1949 is one of my favourites of Picasso's prints. The face is so tenderly executed, and I love the repetition of shapes in the fullness of her hair echoed in those billowing, voluminous sleeves.
Marc Chagall - Sleeping Woman With Flowers, 1972
René Magritte - The Enchanted Spot, 1953
This Max Ernst - (Le Silence, 1968), really grabbed my attention. That heavy, ripe, textured moon/sun just sucks you in with its hypnotic, repetetive dots. The addition of the natural fern is inspired, and adds to the contemplative nature of the piece. The textured Flowers On Yellow Ground - 1929 below are also by Ernst.
Alberto Giacometti - Four Women On A Plinth, 1950
Georges Roualt - Pierrot, 1939
On the first floor, as well as the Schiele exhibition, the Albertina has these regal suites of rooms. They are the Habsburg's imperial state appartments which were used to accomodate important visiting guests. Befitting the Habsburg aesthetic they are very opulent with lots of chandeliers, gilding, silk-lined walls, and the most amazing marquetry floors.
Monet Bis Picasso
Albertina
Albertinaplatz 1
1010 Vienna
